Neophyte
by musiclover101twilight411
Summary: Bella has just become a vampire, but doesn't know it. She awoke alone, and has amazing powers. She tries to find out what she is and someone that won't hurt her, while battling the difficulties of being alone. And different.
1. Awakening

***DISCLAIMER* :** **I do not own Twilight or any of the books in the series, they belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. I also do not own Bella, Edward, Alice, or anybody else. **

Neophyte

Chapter 1

I opened my eyes to a bright light. This light would have blinded my old eyes, but now I see past the light. I can see the wood grains above me, and feel the rough texture of the ground beneath me. I could smell old pine, citrus fruit and roses. The room was filled with the scent. Where was I?

Out of the corners of my eyes I could see that I was in some kind of cabin. A very secluded cabin. How did I get here? I live in the city. This was obviously a place in a forest somewhere. I don't remember coming here. Hell, I don't even remember leaving my apartment down in San Diego. I decided to sit up, and then I was already sitting that way. That was fast.

I looked around slowly. There was a door on my right; it was closed. I was sitting on a desk, an overhead lamp was the bright light I had originally saw. A soft red chair was in the corner, laying flat on its back. I imagine that whoever lives here threw it over there in some haste. Shelves full of books were on every wall except the wall to the right-- where the door was, which, coincidentally, was the only escape.

A door opened and closed. I immediately looked toward my door, but that wasn't where the sound had come from. I got up from my seat and ghosted to the door, listening carefully. A man's voice was rumbling something about the weather, and I discerned that it was the TV, as the sound was a little statical, something I had picked up when I was younger. Ha. How strange was it to say younger, when I was but 17 years of age?

I grabbed the doorknob and twisted it slowly, so as not to make any noise. To my intense surprise, the knob disintegrated into 182 pieces before hitting the ground with a sound like a miniature water fall. How was I supposed to get out _now_? I stroked the door and saw the dent my finger made in the flawed wood. I got a sudden idea. I thrust my hand out, hitting the door in the dead center. I felt the grains fall apart beneath my hand, and the rest of the door followed suit. I stalked out of the room-- stopping when it shook the house, taking up a softer tread-- and was directly in a hallway. The sound of the TV was coming from the left, so I went that way.

The hallway opened up to a small living room-- the TV was in the corner behind a tiny glass table, surrounded by a very comfortable looking white couch. A marble counter separated the room in half; it held a microwave and toaster, so I naturally assumed that it was part of a kitchen. I recognized the show on the television-- Bones, season four-- and just stared at Bones and her fellow squints work over a badly burned and decaying body.

While the front of my mind was occupied watching television, the rest of my brain was registering things about the room. The old newspaper from September 2, 1994, laying on the table; the eighteenth of an inch of dust covering the wooden floor by the kitchen counter; a cushion on the couch rising slowly; the sweet scent of pine and citrus was the strongest in the room, while roses and...was that sea water?...yes, the roses and sea water scent wafted through the air faintly. I reached out with my ears and heard a low rumble-- cars-- and heard the squeaking and chattering of forest animals. I heard the sound of tires on gravel and immediately went to a window above the metal basin I assumed was a sink. The sky was dark and cloudy, so I couldn't tell what direction I was facing from the sun, but moss was growing on my right side of a tree, and I deduced that I was facing at this moment west. Okay. At least I knew the directions now. But the cars had been behind me, so they were to the east, and the other car was coming towards me....

This car went faster than normal cars, and it wound expertly around the trees. Maybe it was the owner coming back to their cabin. Was I supposed to be here? I decided not to chance it. The window was latched on the inside, which was easy enough to undo. I climbed outside and started running.

I could tell that I was going considerably fast, and yet I could see every blade of grass, every leaf that I stirred in my wake. I let my senses overpower me, and it was disorienting. My hearing sharpened so that I could hear the movement of everything, from the birds flying above to the marching steps of the ants beneath me. My nostrils widened and I smelled the all the grass, every kind of tree in the vicinity, every little animal. The animals were weak smelling, but the bigger deer and-- what's that smell? It's much better than anything else. I veered in that direction immediately.

My mind opened to Nature, and suddenly I _was_. I was _everything_. I was pelted with the minds with insects, birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, and everything in between. I felt every blade I stepped on, felt the presence of every plant, big and small. The air went in and out of my fingers, caressed my skin like a lover, ready to obey my every whim. The earth was sturdy and unchanging, like it was willing me forward. The amazing smell that had caught my attention at first was getting stronger and I sprinted forward excitedly.

I somehow willed myself to slow down, and I inched around the knee high ferns and giant spruces to a campfire surrounded by the delicious smelling creatures. Fire scorched down my throat, making me clench my jaw in agony. Oh, god, I _want_ it. Whatever it is. The fire was low, and shot angry little sparks into the air. I gasped when I saw what had drawn me to this place. Boys and girls my age. _Humans_. Their blood called to me passionately as they giggled and teased each other. Did they know how easily I could kill them? But I wouldn't. I won't kill these innocent people. But, a voice inside me said, they would taste _so good..._

"No!" I scolded myself out loud. Oops. It scared them, and now they looked around themselves in gradually building fear. Their blood quickened, their hearts beating erratically. Damn, why must they tempt me? I shuddered and made myself take a step back. A flashback of the burning flared momentarily in my mind, but I forced it back viciously. This wasn't the same as that. I have to go, though. Wincing in agony, I turned and started running in the opposite direction holding my breath.

I heard footsteps behind me. Should I try to outrun them, or should I turn and fight? The steps were gaining on me so I made a hasty decision. Fight.


	2. Power

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, or any of the other books in the series, the ever beautiful Stephenie Meyer does (lucky!) I also do not own Bella, Edward, Alice or any other character from any of the books. **

_Authors note: I'm sorry I've messed up so much, I'm just glad that I finally figured out how to add another chapter :)_

Power

Chapter 2

I made an abrupt about face, turning to face the oncoming danger. The foot steps slowed their pace, and my follower stalked out of the trees menacingly.

It was a male; he didn't smell as compelling as the humans, but his scent was pineapple and lilac-- an interesting combination. He had flowing black hair that was shoulder-length, a white complexion, muscular build, and burgundy eyes. Words flowed from him, although his mouth remained closed.

_Ah...my prize._

My eyes narrowed to slits. I heard myself let out an involuntary hiss. "Who are you?" I asked in a wind chime voice that surprised me. My voice didn't sound like that.

He smiled with what I imagine was meant to be a friend face. "I am a friend, dear Bella."

I snorted. "Right. And you expect me to believe that?"

He straightened up from his hunting stance and looked at me curiously. _What? _his mind said. "What do you mean?"

"You most definitely are the farthest thing from friendly, let alone _my _friend. I think you're joking," I stated matter-of-fact.

"No, Bella. I'm serious. I am a friend. Don't you remember me? James?"

My nostrils flared. I _did_ remember him. We had met at a local grocery store in Florence. It was a beautiful city, full of beautiful art, and I had been crazy and a fool while visiting Italy with my cousin. I had had a sudden craving for cherry tomatoes and had gone to the market to get the groceries and pick up some tomatoes while I was at it. James had seen me there, and I swear, he stalked me all the way back to the U.S. Robin had stayed very close during those times. Where was Robin now? But I had thought we lost James in New York. Apparently he knows how to find me.

I decided to play nice with James. After all, I didn't know if he was dangerous or not. "Oh, yeah! James, it's been so long. I'd almost forgotten that day in Florence."

"By the way, how were those...potatoes? I believe you had been craving them." He raised an eyebrow.

"They were tomatoes."

_Of course, stupid me, tomatoes. I'll have to remember better if I'm to continue the charade..._

My eyes widened a little when I heard that. My hands clenched, and the air thickened. The trees groaned against each other. "What charade?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Excuse me?" he asked, astonished_. I didn't say that out loud, did I...?_

"What charade?" I repeated, harsher now.

"Um...nothing. I guess that was the wrong choice of words. What I meant to say was...."

"What? What did you mean to say, James?" I tried to dig deeper in his mind and was pleased when I found out that I could. I growled when I was assaulted by a memory of his.

**Memory**: The girl-- and she was just a girl, as she had told me that she was about to turn eleven--stared up at me through agonized eyes. I smiled at that-- at her pain. I adjusted my blanket of pain around her and she screamed. The sound pierced the air and the birds chirped in alarm. I laughed, amused. She was so much fun. Even more than her creator, Jorge. He had felt the hurt so much, he had started pulling out his hair.

While she was incapacitated with fear and the remnants of the pain, I moved forward to rip a finger off her hand. She had only 2 fingers left on this hand. She was missing a thumb on the other, and I'd pretty much plucked off every last toe of hers. She growled fiercely at me and tried to make a move toward me to rip my head off--laugh--but I sent another wave of agony over her, sending her down on to the ground. "Having fun?" I asked her pleasantly. She hissed. Small chuckle. The leaves started to rustle. I'd better get rid of her now. I rip off her head with my sharp, beautiful vampire teeth. Ah, such fun. I quickly burn the pieces and jump up to a nearby tree just in time. A group of policemen and other men in dirty clothes. I let them live, even though they have seen the thick purple smoke and smelt the acrid smell of the burning new born, though they do not know what burns like that. Oh, well, she was not the first.

**End memory.**

I shuddered, coming back to reality. James was staring in horror at me. "What?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"The-th-the r-r-r-root!" I turned and stared at the giant tree root poised for attack above my head. It was pointing in James' direction, so, yeah, he had reason to be afraid. I returned my attention to James.

"You were going to kill me!" I accused.

"N-n-no, no, no! No, I wasn't_--" How does she know these things_?

"You lie!" I hissed. The root shot forward and caught James in it's wrath before he could react. I stalked over to him, the wind suddenly gusting around me in my fury. I bit his neck, and pulled. His head popped off with a screech and rolled along the ground. Ripping him to shreds while the root held him, I finished quickly. The wind quieted down as my temper cooled down. I piled the pieces together in a little circle I made in the dirt. Dang, I don't have a lighter. How am I supposed to burn the pieces without--

A flame flickered to life on the tip of my pointer finger before I could even think the word "fire". Grinning, I knelt and set James' ruins on fire.

He deserves to die, I thought. All those poor people! But, who was I to play God? I can't decide who lives and dies. He was a monster, I'll admit, but should I have killed him? Yes, I answered myself. It was in defence; he would have killed me any ways. Why not stop the problem at the root of it.

And then I remembered the tree root. It had sunk back into the earth, leaving two hills of dirt along it's sides. I decided to try something.

Using only my mind, I tried to cover the root with the waiting dirt. It complied willingly enough. I smiled as I wiped my hand in front of my face and the dirt packed in tighter over the root. I think I actually heard the tree sigh. Must have been my imagination.

What was I going to do now? I guess I'm a vampire...but how? I didn't know that they even _existed_, now I'm a neophyte to this strange group. Or was it a group? Did I just destroy the only other vampire out there? I sat down by a tree even though I didn't feel tired. And the humans' "vampires"...was I like that? Did I drink blood? Yes, I answered that question, remembering the humans by the campfire. But I don't _have_ to drink human blood...do I? Did all vampires have the ability to read minds and control...things? How was I supposed to find out any of this? There's no one around. Except...I could always try to find Robin. He might know _something_, which was more than I knew.

Yes, I decided, that was what I'd do. I'd find Robin, and get some answers.

_AN: There's something you have to know about Bella in this story-- she's so original that she has multiple powers. And I understand that James didn't have long black hair, and Robin is a character I added (he's definitely not from any of the books). Thanks for reading this chapter :)  
~musiclover101twilight411_


	3. Robin

****Disclaimer** I do not own the Twilight series, or any of the characters, Stephenie Meyer does.**

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Chapter 3

Robin

I decided to run in a random direction to any random place and start looking for Robin from there. Try my hand at tracking. Hopefully I wouldn't have to run into any humans--it hurt too much being around them. But it would be annoying avoiding every living soul in the world, so I would have to get used to them some way. And, as far as I was concerned, I was the only vamp around. I guess Robin would know about vampires--for God's sake, he fits the vampire mold perfectly. White skin, velvet voice, super speed, super strength...Or maybe that was just Robin. I don't know.

I headed north-west, past the sleeping campers (I reminded myself to hold my breath), and found myself standing on the right side of a road across from an old Gas America station. The utterly bored-looking old man by the cash register was perusing a faded Automotive Weekly magazine. Occasionally he would take a sip of something in a cow mug. I looked down at my slightly torn jeans, dirt-streaked Ernie & Rubber Ducky t-shirt and unlaced black converse sneakers. I shrugged to myself; I'll bet he's seen worse.

I stalked over to the gas station and walked into the little room filled with junk food and sodas where the old man sat. He had looked up when the bell over the door had alerted him to my presence. His eyes widened when he took all 5 feet 4 inches of me in.

_Jesus Christ...kids these days...look like hell..._

I'm sure I would have blushed if I could at that. "Excuse me, could you tell me where I am?" I asked innocently.

"You, Ma'am, are in a crappy Gas America, on an abandoned road, talking to a cranky old man, who'd rather be any where else than here," he answered sarcastically with a slight southern twang in his voice.

I laughed. "I'm not sure about 'old', but I don't doubt the rest of your statement," I chuckled.

He blushed. _That girl's a flirt, _he thought dryly.

I made a wry face. "I meant, what city am I in?" He laughed.

"You are on the outskirts of Forks, Washington." He took a sip out of his cow mug. He caught me staring and asked, "Coffee?"

"No, thank you," was my reply. It didn't really look that appetizing at the moment.

_No coffee? That's as un-American as hating apple pie. _

I cracked a grin. "I'm Bella, Bella Swan." I extended my hand to him.

He grasped it with a rough, weak hand that I barely felt. "Todd Asherman, at your service." He nodded a southern welcome to me.

I sighed. "I'd better get going...."

"Already? Do you have a car?" Todd asked, peeking out the window to see my car.

I laughed. "No, but I'm sure I'll find one." _I bet you could, Missy. _Ahh...I was going to miss hearing his thoughts. They reminded me of my Grandpa. He frowned. "I'm fine, really. I'd really just like to change." I indicated my dirty tee and ripped jeans that were not supposed to be ripped.

He laughed. "Well, it was good to meet cha, Bella. Make sure ya stop by again sometime." He winked. I chuckled and waved good-bye as I walked out the door, the bell ringing behind me. Todd smiled as he looked back down at his Automotive Weekly.

I'm glad I made his day. I started jogging up the road, and almost instantaneously I ran into houses. I slowed to a walk as I entered the town of Forks.

Forks Washington was a very unassuming town. It was surrounded by thick green forests, except for the occasional clear-cut acres--hiss--and the sporadic placement of houses. The main street had a cafe, several little shops, and a post office. Very unassuming. So when I started looking around and found a very strong scent that was not human, but like me, I couldn't believe it. There was a vampire--that was not me--living in Forks.

I had to find him.

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_A/N: Sorry it's so short. I just wanted to post something, and I needed Bella to figure out where she was. Direction helps soooo much. Thanks for the reviews (although more would be extremely good) and I'd like to especially thank oceanlover14 for telling me how to post new chapters :)_


	4. Stranger

****Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything (anyone) related to it. That belongs to Stephenie Meyer [lucky!]****

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Stranger

Chapter 4

**Alice POV:**

I was in the middle of buying the cutest black Mika pumps ever, when I blacked out.

_A brunette was standing off to the side of the main street of Forks, my home town, examining a broken fern frond. She had bright red eyes, obviously a newborn, but looked in control of herself. She turned to follow the scent that went with the frond...towards my home. _

I briefly saw the cashier looking expectantly at me before everything went black again.

_My vision was blurry...but it was the same brunette as before, but now she was in my brother Edward's arms, looking as content as could be, and he looking at her protectively. She turned to smile at me, and I waved at her. She waved back, and after planting a kiss on Edward's cheek, she skipped over to me and gave me a hug. "Thank you for accepting me," she whispered. A name suddenly came to the front of my head. "You're welcome, Bella," I replied with a smile._

I came to again, and the blond cashier lady was looking at me weird. "Are you okay?" she asked, her eyebrows coming together.

I gave her my brightest smile and said, "Absolutely. Let me just pay for those and I'll be out of your hair." I pulled out a hundred dollar bill and waited impatiently for her to give me my change.

"Thanks," I said before she could say anything and grabbed my shoes and my change, hurrying as fast as I could back to my car.

Speeding down the road in my yellow Porsche, I said to myself excitedly, "Here I come, Bella!"

**BPOV:**

I stopped to examine the crushed fern frond in my hand again to remind myself that I was not alone. I was not alone. I could have laughed at how much joy that brought to me. Maybe _they _could tell me more about vampirism. And then, once I've established that there were others around, just like me, I could hunt-- well, not neccessarily _hunt_-- but, track down Robin, my lost friend.

The scent was getting stronger, they had been through here recently. I sprinted down the trail, easily dodging trees in my way, eager to get to my destination. I could hear water trickling over rocks up ahead, and I could see a slight thinning of trees. With no more warning than that, I burst through the line of trees and ferns, only to stop dead in my tracks at what I saw.

A ginormous house--or mansion, or whatever--was in the middle of a clearing with a 1 mile radius. The house was practically antique, but also modern-looking. The wide porch was classic, and the windows looked updated with a new frame. The scent permeated the air here. It didn't feel dangerous, like with James, but welcoming. Like they knew I was coming. But that can't be....

I slowly walked up the 4 stairs to the porch, and took 3 steps to the door. I knocked gently before taking a step backward, mentally cringing. It was opened by a little pixie with black, spiky hair and dark, orb-like eyes. She smiled at me in welcome. "Hello, Bella. Please come in. I'm Alice." She extended her hand to me, and I gladly took it.

_We're going to be great friends. _She thought. I smiled at her at that.

Alice pulled me inside to a broad living room with a staircase to my right. A love seat, couch, and recliner were towards the center of the room, surrounding a huge flat screen TV. Everything but the TV was white...and the back wall. Or was it a window? It was completely covered in glass and you could see a river winding its way through the trees in the background. I loved it.

"Wow, Alice, this is amazing," I whispered in awe.

"C'mon, Bella, let me introduce you to the family." As she said that, six vampires walked into the room.

The first was tall and blond with odd topaz eyes, and he was decked out in white, like an angel. "Carlisle," she told me, pointing to him. Beside Carlisle and slightly behind him was a woman with wavy caramel hair and a heart-shaped face that smiled at me when she caught me staring at her. She, too, had the topaz eyes. "Esme." The third--a breath taking bombshell blond--was wrapped around the fourth--a giant man, almost entirely made up of muscles, and with curly brown hair--like she was claiming something. "Rosalie and Emmett." The fifth vampire was covered in battle scars that immediately made me crouch down in defence. He had a charming aura about him, and blond hair. "Chillax, Bella, it's Jasper." At that, she smiled widely at him, and he replied with an arched eyebrow. She slightly shook her head once, and he lowered his eyebrow. I got up from my defensive stance, and looked at the last vampire. He had slick black hair, and wide eyes. He grinned at me, and I ran over to hug him. I didn't need an explanation of who he was; this was Robin.

"Bella! I'm glad you made it." There was a strange edge to his voice, and I decided to let his mind tell me what was going on.

_I wasn't sure if she'd make it or not....I'm glad she doesn't want to rip my head off for leaving her like that, all alone..._

I tilted my head to the side and looked up at him, curiosity burning in my eyes. "What do you mean, 'rip your head off'?" I asked.

He just looked at me blankly. Even his mind was coming up short, scrambling for an answer to my question. "I...left you back there. In the cabin. All alone. With _James._" I hissed at the name. "I'm sorry, Bells. I shouldn't have left you."

A hiss came out of the door on the left, probably the dining room from the glimpses I'd caught of it. A bronze-haired god came stalking out of the room towards us. My instincts told me to crouch, but I didn't. I just stared at him, like he was my sun, and I had never seen it before. Well, I had never seen _him_ before, so the analogy worked. His face was straight and angular and beautiful, his body slightly muscled in a way that made my stomach clench in desire. His fury just added to his beauty. I found that I couldn't look away from his tawny eyes. That I didn't_ want_ to.

"You left a new born _alone?!?_ Robin, how could you? She could have gone wild! And she apparently has some gifts that would make her extraordinarily dangerous. So, what the hell?" He ranted, positively glaring at Robin. I wanted to touch him, his arm, his face, his perfect lips...No, I scolded myself. Don't be ridiculous, Bella. You're practically a stranger to him. That would be something you'd regret for the rest of your life.

"Bella, this is Edward," Alice cut in nervously.

"Ed, you don't know what I was up against. What I still _am_ up against. James"--hiss from me--"is still out there, looking for Bella and I."

I snorted. James was no problem. "Bella doesn't seem to think so," Edward said with a slight grin.

"I don't think Bella even knows how _dangerous_ James is." Robin put extra emphasis on "dangerous". Ha.

"Then how come I killed him? Hmmm?" I asked, teasingly.

"Stop joking around, Bella. This is serious," he scolded me.

"So is she, Rob. Believe her. She's telling the truth." Thank you for believing me, Edward.

_Your welcome, Bella,_ he whipered in my head. I shivered at the sound of him saying my name. I liked it. A lot.

"So, Bella, Edward said you had some gifts...what are they?" Rosalie asked me curiously. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Carlisle give her a grateful look.

"Well, I only know about mind-reading and I guess I can control things." I shrugged. That got their attention.

"Control things? What do you mean?" Carlisle asked.

"Hmm...let's see..." I thought about the TV, and mentally pressed the on button of it. The screen became full of colors and numbers--a football game. I looked out the window whild they were looking skeptically at Emmett, who held the remote in his hand. "I swear, I didn't do that!" he was telling them with wide eyes. Edward followed the direction of my gaze and watched closely. There was a tiny seed on the ground outside that probably wasn't going to make it into the ground to start growing. I decided to help it out.

I dug a little hole and placed it gently inside, covering it back up with dirt. And then I set to work making it grow for me. I slowly extended its roots and made tiny shoots come out of the top. It grew fast until it was about knee-high. From then on, it grew slightly slower and added on extra layers of bark. The roots were deep, and the tree was strong. It was ten feet high in 5 minutes. Edward gasped beside me, and I smiled up at him.

The rest of the family turned at Edward's gasp and stared in shock at the tree that had just grown from practically nothing just five minutes ago. I continued to stare at Edward, and he stared at me. I didn't look away, didn't even want to. I just lost myself in his deep eyes, trying to find his soul. I found a bright patch, and immediately knew that he was good, amazingly so, and that this was his soul. He looked back at me with the same expression I was sure was on my face. Except he looked hungry, and that made my stomach flutter with desire. The air was static between us.

He was leaning in towards me...or I was getting up on my tip-toes...or both....The anticipation was almost tangible. And then it was yanked away, and I was staring at Robin's face. I tried to take a step back, and succeeded only in dragging Robin with me. I was annoyed with him. "Robin, get off of me," I growled at him. Edward chuckled behind me, and I longed to look at him again. The only problem was, Robin was not letting go. "Robin let go, or I'll break your arms off." Now Emmett was laughing, too.

"Bella, let's go see--" Rosalie started to suggest when she was cut off bye a look from Robin.

"No. I want to see her break off my arms, because I'm not letting go. This is what I made you for, Bells. For us. Did you think I did this just to have my best friend with me everywhere I go?"

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_A/N: I thought I'd add some drama in there, just to spice things up :) Thanks for all the reviews, I enjoyed reading them. _


	5. Shuttup Emmett

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the corresponding characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

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Chapter 5

Shuttup Emmett

A hiss escaped from Edward's perfect lips. It made me partially smug to think that he was defending me, in a way. "Robin, I don't like you _that_ way, and I don't think you mean it," I told him softly.

"Of course I meant it! I wouldn't have done this to you if I hadn't felt this way!" He was extremely angry at me now, and his grip on me was tightening.

"Let me _go_, Robin. It's starting to hurt," I complained mildly. And Edward looks like he's about to rip your head off for me, I thought but didn't say.

"Bells, I _know_ you feel the same about me. You would be vampire food if I didn't think you felt the same."

"Robin," Carlisle cautioned sternly, "let Bella go."

"But-"

"Now." Carlisle, I could already tell, was a kind man, and was to be followed without fail. His voice rang with a certain finality that I couldn't help but admire.

With a sigh, Robin let me go. I rolled my arms to try and get some feeling back into them as I walked backwards to stand beside Edward. He reached a hand out and rubbed one of my shoulders. I immediately calmed down, even though Jasper was still chaotic and tense, which made the entire room electric. Emmett had moved to stand behind Robin, his hands poised for catching him and restraining him if need be. Rosalie was standing by Alice, who had a hand on Jasper to keep him there. Esme had her head in her hands by the stairs as she mumbled, "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry..."

I hurried over to give her a hug. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything, Esme. And everything is fine." I shrugged. "You have nothing to worry about." I smiled warmly at her. She had looked up and was staring intently into my eyes.

_Are you sure? _she asked in her mind.

"Yes," both Edward and I answered. I looked over to see him staring sheepishly at the floor. _Sorry, Bella._ It's fine, you just aren't used to having someone else around who can read minds. He smiled at me. I returned the smile with fervor.

Robin's voice caught my attention. _Look at her falling for him...what wasted effort_.

"Excuse me? What were you thinking?" Edward asked Robin, annoyed.

"What I think is private!" Robin yelled. He stormed over to the stairs, pausing momentarily to grab my wrist and drag me with him, before continuing upstairs. He shoved me through a door on the second floor. I stumbled in and went to sit in a chair before turning a glare on Robin.

"What the hell?" I asked him, trying to make my voice menacing.

"I could ask you the very same thing, Bells." His voice was bitter. He started pacing back and forth across the room. "I know you like him. Big surprise. The thing is, you aren't the first person to fall head over heels for Edward Cullen." He spit Edward's name out with almost tangible venom.

I glared daggers at him. "Who said you had to go and turn me into a vampire? Huh?" I countered.

"James was going to kill us! What else was I supposed to do? Sit around and hand you to him on a silver platter?"

"James is dead," I said in a flat voice, "You don't have to worry about me any more. I can obviously take care of myself."

He looked skeptically back at me. "Right. A highly dangerous, highly lethal vampire stalks you, and, what? You make a tree grow?" I growled at him. "Get over yourself, Bella. He's still out there."

I jumped out of my seat. "You know what? I should have let him kill me. Being dead is probably better than thinking that you are alone, that no one else is out there, just like you. I didn't even know what I _was, _Robin."

_I can't believe he left her alone. It's unbelievable that she destroyed an older vampire, but absolutely impossible that she turned away from humans as a new born! _Edward's mind was amazing, and I couldn't believe that he was thinking about _me!_ _Of course I'm thinking of you, Bella, _he thought, _I love a puzzle, and you are by far the most interesting. _I'm sure if I'd had blood to flush my face at the moment, I would have blushed at that statement. I hope you enjoy your puzzle, Edward.

I heard a low chuckle from downstairs and grinned crookedly. Alright, back to the matter at hand. "Robin, I just thought of you as a friend. That much I'm sure of about my human life. Besides, you left me then, too."

It was his turn to growl. "Bella, things haven't changed. You _can't _change how you felt--" I cut him off with a harsh sounding growl.

"Robin. I. Don't. Like. You. Like. That." I enunciated each word, trying to get them through his thick skull. "I never have, and never will." He looked skeptically at me. "Gah! Why won't you believe me?!? Do I have to pound it through your abnormally thick head?"

I could tell I was losing my temper, and one wrong move from Robin and he would find himself wrapped around a thick rock. At that thought, I heard several pairs of footsteps rushing up the stairs. "Why won't you believe me?" I asked again quietly.

"Because it's not like you, Bells. I _know_ you, Bella, truly, I do. You were head over heels for _me _once. And you don't change." He was looking condescendingly down at me. That's when I snapped.

"Maybe you DON'T know me, Rob! And, just maybe, you might finally believe me when you're wrapped around a rock!" I shot myself at him, my vision tinted red.

Strong arms captured me in their grasp before I was even close to Robin. Robin was staring at me with his mouth gaping wide. My vision was still red with rage, and I was only maddened more by the restraining, muscular arms around me. "Bella," a silky voice called from behind me. I immediately stopped my struggles and listened to the sound of my name on his tongue. "Bella, calm down," he purred in my ear.

_It's okay_, he assured me. I sighed and concentrated on the feel of his arms around me, melting into his figure.

"Thank you, Edward," I whispered, closing my eyes and leaning my head into his chest. His grip on me tightened, but I didn't care. He was holding me. The ecstasy was nearly overwhelming.

"Get your hands off of her, Edward!" Robin hissed menacingly. I cracked open one of my eyelids to see Emmett holding Robin back casually.

"You know, Rob," Emmett said off-handed, "they actually make a cute couple."

"Shuttup, Emm," Rosalie grumbled beside him.

"They do." In my head, I saw what Emmett was seeing. A small brunette wrapped in the arms of a god. This god looked totally content, and was staring down at the brunette affectionately. The brunette was leaning against the god with a look of peace about her. She smiled slightly, which made the god's eyes smolder.

I laughed lightly. I opened my eyes completely and turned to look at Edward. He was still the god-like creature in Emmett's thoughts, his eyes still smoldering. I got lost in his deep golden eyes, and was glad that I didn't need to breathe. He was just so gorgeous...

"God, Ed, go get a room!" Emmett shouted behind us, which was followed by the booming laughter I assumed was his.

I turned around to face him with a frown on my face. "Shuttup, Emmett," Edward and I said at the exact same time, which made us both smile.

"Ugh," Robin groaned in Emmett's arms. "I'm leaving." This statement was followed by the following thoughts:

_Not permanently, I hope! (Esme)_

_My son is leaving...(Carlisle's melancholy thoughts)_

_Good. I'm tired of his attitude. (Rosalie)_

_Sigh. I'll finally get some happy moods now! (Jasper's excited thoughts)_

_What a shame...He was fun to fight with...(of course Emmett)_

_Damn. Empty promises...(Alice, surprisingly)_

_I need to hunt...I'll be back later. (Robin)_

Both Edward and I were listening quietly to the play of thoughts. I sighed. "He's not leaving forever, guys." After I said that, Esme immediately relaxed, as did Carlisle. But the frown on Rose's, Emmett's, Jasper's, and Alice's face were a bit obvious. I tried not to laugh.

"Have fun," Edward said absently as he reached out to gently grab a strand of my hair and start playing with it.

At that dismissal, Robin stalked out of the room and quickly went out the door and to the north. I melted into Edward's embrace as soon as I was positive of Robin's departure, and that he had no intention of immediately returning. I hope he changes his mind and doesn't come back, I thought harshly. I felt Edward's chuckle as he heard that.

_Ditto,_ his thoughts replied, and I joined in his mirth.

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**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't posted in what seems like forever to me. Christmas time is always busy...so I don't think I'll be able to post again for at least a week (family!!). R&R, please. **


	6. Temper

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. At all. Nothing. Stephenie does. **

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Chapter 6

Temper

**Robin's POV:**

As the trees flew past me, I let my mind wander. What game did Bella think she was playing here? I remember the day when I knew that she loved me. She all but blurted it out when we were in Italy.

_[Flash back]_

Bella, her long, dark brown hair waving invitingly in the wind, was standing at the balcony of the hotel suite that we had rented, we being Bella, her cousin Sofia, and myself. She was wearing a fairly provocative blue sun dress that went to just above her knee. Bella was looking out at the rolling hills and bright-colored flowers, a slight smile on her lips. I went to stand by her side.

"Hello, Robin," she greeted me happily, her piercing brown eyes staring intently into mine.

"Bella," I replied. She smiled and looked away. It was a cloudy day, which was rare here, but everything had a soft golden glow to it. Which looked lovely on beautiful Bella.

I reached out to stroke her rosy cheeks, which reddened at my touch. I could feel the blood gushing beneath her thin flesh...it smelled amazing....She averted her gaze, choosing to look down below us instead of up at me. "Did you know that 'Bella' means 'beautiful' in Italian?" I asked her, trying to gain her attention back, for she was studying the gardener below.

"Yes, Sofia, which means wisdom, told me. She is very much enthused about all things Italian." She rolled her deep chocolate eyes at the sky and smiled a breath-taking smile. "And before you tell me"--a side ways glance at me-- "Robin means famous brilliance. Do not try to educate me in languages, Rob. It is my passion." Her eyes burned wickedly at me before she laughed lightly and turned to walk back into the house, but not before she leaned in incredibly close to me and whispered, "Nice try, Keene." She winked at my bewildered expression.

I recovered my composure quickly, though, and before she was consumed by the shadows of the apartment, I said, "Ah, Ceri, do not tease me." She blushed and looked at the ground. "Did I touch on something embarrassing, Ceri?"

"I don't think you know what that means," she said, looking up at me through her eyelashes. She smiled and left me. Flirtatious as ever, dearest Bella.

_[End Flash back]_

The sky was darkening when I came back to the present. If only she remembered that day...she was so naive...how infatuated I am with her...

**Edward's POV:**

I can't believe I'm actually _holding_ her. I'm holding this beautiful creature....She sank willingly into my arms when I first touched her, and now, here we stand, in Robin's bedroom, she in my arms...She sighed in contentment, and I had to hold back the moan that tried to escape my lips. Tried. She chuckled at that, her form shaking me with her. I could easily get used to having someone--no, _her_--reading my mind.

_I could say the same for you,_she thought happily. I tightened my grip around her shoulders. I liked the feel of holding her, knowing she's with me and nothing can ever hurt her. She pressed her head against my shoulder, and I responded by sliding my arms down to her waist, gently pulling her impossibly closer. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett and Rosalie on the verge of ripping one another's clothes off, and started towards the door, pulling Bella with me. The rest of the family--besides Em and Rose--followed suit.

_Thanks, Ed,_Emmett and Rosalie thought at the same time. "No problem," I mumbled dryly. Carlisle discreetly shut the door behind him, a stunned look on his face.

_I guess they're still a bit...out of control still..._. I laughed at Carlisle's thought. Alice and Jasper understood immediately and burst out laughing. Esme shuddered, thinking of the damage they had caused to the house the last time Rose and Emmett couldn't handle their urges. Bella pulled away from me to look into my eyes.

"What's so funny?" she asked. I could tell that she heard everything that I did, but it didn't register, I suppose. _It did register. I just don't get the joke._

Well, this isn't exactly a first time thing.

_I kinda got that much._She made a face, probably listening to the raucous my siblings were creating in the other room.

"Hey, Bella, how 'bout we get you situated in your new room!" Alice chirped, suddenly beside us.

"I don't need a room, Alice. I don't have anything to put in it, and I don't think I need to sleep any time soon. Therefore, the point of a room is none, zip, nada." Alice made a pouty face at her, and subtly shook my head at her.

_Quiet, Edward, _Alice thought angrily, _this is my chance to re-decorate! You are NOT going to blow my chances!_

_Alice forgets that I can hear her thoughts too. _I smiled at Bella. "Fine, Alice. You can re-decorate, but that doesn't mean that I am going to have a room," Bella said confidently. Poor Bella. She has absolutely _no_ knowledge of Alice.

"But Bella!" Wide puppy dog eyes and a pouty lip that an eagle could roost on attacked Bella, and I couldn't help myself, I had to protect her from the wrath that was Alice. Alice tried to get around my protective stance, but I held firm. "Bella, please! I swear, I'll do it all, and you won't even have to move a finger!" Alice pleaded.

So Bella didn't like to shop. Huh. Most girls love to shop. Well, that figures. Bella's like no other girl before. Bella did not respond to Alice's pleas, and I turned to see her staring at nothing, eyes blank, with a look of agony on her face. What was going on? For some reason I could not hear her mind. It was like she was having an out-of-body moment...."Bella?" I asked worriedly, grabbing her shoulders and giving them a quick shake. "Bells? Bella?" She still wasn't responding, but the agonized look was fading into a look of horror. She gasped quietly before going limp. She'd fainted.

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**A/N: Sorry about the cliff hanger, but I love them to death...which may or may not invariably be a good thing :) R&R please**


	7. Memory

****Disclaimer** I own nothing, Stephenie Meyer does. **

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Chapter 7

Memory

BPOV:

As Alice tried to get around Edward's protective stance around me--which I loved that he would protect me--my eyesight started to blur around the edges. Do vampires get dizzy? And...sick to their stomach? Oh, God. I remember this feeling. I dimly heard Edward calling my name, but I couldn't muster enough strength to answer him. The blurry edges turned into black spots, that finally covered my eyes. No. Stupid brain, I scolded, don't take me there!

My head felt disconnected from my body, which with all the acid I was feeling in my stomach, I wished that was true. Little lights started to flicker behind my eyelids, and instantly wondered if vampires could dream. Because I was having a nightmare.

_[Dream]_

_I paced back and forth on the balcony. It was a horrible day to be outside, with the clouds pressing in claustrophobically, and no wind to alleviate the tension in the air. I had a memory of Robin touching my face, and a surge of sickness overwhelmed me. He thought I liked him, and stupid me had to play along. God I hope he knows I was just playing..._

_Just then a ray of sunshine fell on the little garden below the balcony, onto the little plot of flowers and the serene gardener planting his little seeds. Ahh...finally, some breeze! I looked around happily at the Tuscan hills, and my eye was caught by a sparkle. I automatically took a second glance. It was the gardener who was glittering. Huh. Maybe he had body glitter on? I bent farther out over the balcony, trying to get a better look at the bronze haired man. But I leaned too far over and was enveloped in free fall. _

_[end dream]_

That was not a dream. It was a memory. A very strong memory, I'll admit, but still a memory. I would be caught before reaching the hard ground with strong arms. But before my eyes could open--I had closed them during the fall--the arms had disappeared and I was left standing alone in the courtyard, three stories below from where I had stood not two minutes before.

I thought back over the "dream", remembering all the details. At first I had thought that gardener had saved me, but dismissed it as a fatuous thought. My next hypothesis was that Robin had saved me, which made much more sense, since he hadn't seemed human even before I fell. That's when I started to look closer, and watch him more. I know now that he misinterpreted my curiosity as lust. Ha.

When I got to the gardener, I vividly remembered his bronze colored hair. Bronze hair....

My eyes flashed open.

**APOV:**

So, Bella's a little strange. No biggie. I'm sure that's why Edward enjoys her so much. But _fainting?_ How many vampires can _faint_? Seriously? And I was only playing around, no need to get your panties in twist. It's not like I would hurt her, my best friend in the future. And then she goes and just _faints._

Black veiled my eyes. _Robin is standing next to three black clad figures. A figure in grey hands him a dark grey cloak. He puts it on, his eyes a bright crimson. _Crap. Well, I'm one to talk.

"Robin's not coming back," I told everyone in a bored tone. "He's gone to join the Volturi. And they'll except him, God knows why." Punk bastard. "Well, Bella can have Robin's old room...if it's still standing after Rose and Em get through with it." I smirked at that.

Jasper wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. I cuddled into his side and, automatically, was welcomed with a strong surge of peace.

"Edward," I called, "you can step away from Bella. She'll open her eyes in three...two...one...now."

Bella's eyes flickered open.

_"The gardener!" she whispered in amazement._

"The gardener!" we both said at the same time, although mine was more of a question than an exclamation.

Edward looked utterly confused, and Jasper laughed at him. I love the way he laughs....

"From Italy! The sparkling one...." Her voice was filled with awe. "You caught me when I fell."

**EPOV:**

"From Italy! The sparkling one...." Bella looked up at me ecstatically. "You caught me when I fell." That threw me back.

I hadn't been in Italy for a couple of years, and I had left suddenly after revealing what I was to a fragile, tiny, beautiful human girl, when she fell off the side of a balcony three stories up. I didn't know that was Bella, my Bella.

_It was how I figured out what Robin was...._her whispered thought brought me back to here and now.

"That was...you?" I asked, astonished.

She nodded her head and smiled the most beautiful, entrancing smile ever to grace the earth, and hugged me around the neck, squishing my windpipe.

"Bells...hold...too...tight..." I wheezed. _Sorry._ It's okay. You're just not used to your strength.

"Okay," Alice stated. "Now, _Bella,_ come _on_. We have to go pick out a color scheme and furniture for your new room!" Alice jumped up and down, clapping her hands like a little girl. Which she was. Bella stifled a giggle. I smirked. Alice grabbed Bella's hand and dragged her down the stairs. Talk about Shopaholics Anonymous.

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**A/N: Next up will be either the actual shopping for furniture, or I'll just skip right past that and on to someone else describing the "new room".**

**And I just heard: The Bucks lost. Dun dun dun. (Ohio State Buckeyes) To Texas. *sigh* Well, they weren't exactly favored. And Texas scored a TD with like seventeen seconds left, which made pretty much no time for the Bucks to recover. Sad, I know. **


	8. Chapter 8

****Disclaimer***: I don't own anything....*sigh*....**

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Chapter 8

New Room

Alice dragged me to her yellow Porsche, told me to get in or she'd make the room pink, and sped off down the Cullen's three-mile long driveway. Alice punched the volume button, turning on a CD. I recognized the punk sound of Boys Like Girls, and immediately said, "I love these guys."

Alice looked at me like I was her savior. "Finally! Someone who agrees with me! Even _Edward_, the master musician, can't understand why I like them. What's your favorite song?"

"Five Minutes To Midnight. What about you?" I can honestly say that she had scared me with her enthusiasm.

"Dance Hall Drug." She pressed the select button five times till she got to the song. Then she started belting out, "Grown up, she just turned sixteen!"

"Stuck in the moment, dead at the scene." I sang along with her, laughing at how funny we must look to people who just might glance inside the speeding yellow car and see us, singing our heads off. We finished the song, and Alice was grinning ear-to-ear.

"Hold on to your seats, ladies and...well, ladies! This is going to get crazy." She stomped her little foot on the gas pedal, and we shot forward. An involuntary gasp escaped my lips at the quick acceleration.

"What the hell?!? Alice! Are you _trying_ to severely injure us both?" I scream at her.

_Calm down. You can use your power to either stop us before something happens, or move whatever we're about to run into._

I growled. "Still. What about cops?"

"You'll tell me if there's any cops, and I'm psychic, smart ass." She smirked at me.

"What if there are humans watching? Normal humans don't go speeding down highways like they're in a freaking drag race!"

"One: I'm not human. Two: Neither are you. Three: Neither of us are normal. Four: In a drag race, usually, the roads are clear, not filled with cars going TOO SLOW." She directed the last two words at the guy in front of us going at Grandma pace. (nothing against grandmas)

"And you called _me _a smart ass," I grumbled.

She laughed a high, bell-tinkling sound. _Because you are._

I sighed. "Where are we going first?"

"IKEA." She rolls her eyes. "We're going to go see a project by S. Russell Groves."

"Excuse me?"

"It's residential, and totally you."

"Where is it?"

"Well...it's called the Wainscott Project.... It's kind of in..." _East Hampton._

I made a gesture for her to continue.

"New York."

"No! Alice, no! I'm not going to New York!"

"Please, Bella? Pretty please! I know you'll love it!"

"Why can't you just show me on the Internet? And then we can go shopping for identical furniture to that room."

"But Bella! ROAD Trip! With _me_! Your absolute favoritest sister!" She pouted, and I'm sure if she could, she'd be crying. "I am _not _furnishing a room--especially yours--with furniture that anyone in the world could get! It has to be original, unique. Please Bella." When she said my name her voice cracked.

I reached out with my mind to connect with the car, and slow it down some. "No!!!" Alice screeched, seeing what I was doing. She slammed on the gas so hard, I heard it crunch through the metal on the bottom of the car.

"Alice," I tried to reassure her, putting my hand on her shoulder. "Just calm down. If you want, I'll get you some interior design catalogs and you can sit at home ordering from them, and be totally relaxed. Just calm down."

She took a deep breath and inched her foot off the broken pedal. "Well, there's no slowing down now. We're going to need to cruise her back home." Alice did an abrupt U-turn as soon as she could, and we wound in and out of the cars on the highway.

*************

**RPOV:**

Aro hadn't changed a bit. Maybe a little chalkier than usual, but still in his twenties. I grinned while he sat upon his wooden throne, Marcus and Caius at his side. He had always been the leader of the group, even when I was a newborn. Which reminds me...

"It's almost the three-hundred anniversary of when you created me, Master," I said softly. Aro heard and inclined his head, his way of telling me to continue.

"Well, as a gift, I'd like to bring Bella to you. She is quite beautiful and talented. A trophy for you." He beckoned me forward and I felt a surge of pleasure. A faint glint in his cloudy eyes reminded me of a "younger" Aro, when he would specifically call for _me_to run an errand. It was something that only Aro's most trusted followers were allowed to do. The nostalgia was stifling.

I stepped forward and let Aro take my hand. I concentrated specifically on Bella: on what she could do, how she looked. Aro stepped away and looked me over. "You will bring her here?" he asked carefully, in his somewhat-cheerful way.

"Yes, if you will allow me, Master," I replied.

"Okay, then, Robin, my son. Find her, and bring her home." I bowed and retreated, the elation showing on my face.

I flipped out my cell phone and dialed the office. "Gianna, get me a ticket to America." I'm going to get Bella to come if it's the last thing I do.

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**A/N: I don't know if that was slightly confusing, or fine, or whatever. Review and tell me, please.**


	9. He's Baack

****Disclaimer** I don't own anything. At all. **

**A/N: Please read this before Chapter 10...well, obviously. Never mind. **

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Chapter 9

He's Baack

**BPOV:**

I was surprised when I heard footsteps in the woods, and not at the slow human pace, but the quicker vampire stride. Visitor? Or is Robin actually coming back, after going to the Volturi? I got up off the couch and walked over to the glass wall.

_What's wrong? _Edward asked, coming to stand by my side. He wrapped an arm around my waist, and told him. I heard footsteps. Vampire footsteps.

_Do you think it's Robin? _Yeah. _I'll tell the others he's coming._

"But I don't know if it's really him. It could be a visitor." I said aloud.

"Don't know if it's who, Bells?" Emmett asked from where he was sprawled on the floor in front of the TV.

"Robin," Edward and I said at the same time.

"Let's go see, then," he suggested with a sly smile on his face.

"Absolutely not!" Rose said angrily.

"What's wrong with that plan?" Emmett asked the love of his life.

_He could be dangerous..._"He's an ass. He doesn't deserve a welcome home reception," she replied.

"Rosalie, I'm pretty sure he's not dangerous," I whispered, trying for only her to hear me. She looked gratefully up at me. _You sure? _"Yep. And I think you're right: He is an ass." The room burst into laughter.

"So what are we going to do?" Jasper asked. He was in the corner trying to play a game of chess with Alice. A stack of pieces were beside her, so I'm guessing she's winning.

"I'll go meet him--" I started.

"And I'll go with you." Edward said before I could finish. No, Edward.

_Yes, Bella. You are absolutely not going alone. _

You aren't going to risk anything!

_I know. Because there's nothing to risk. _I turned to glare at him.

You aren't going, period! How about that?

_I'd like to see you try to stop me. _He still looked calm, which meant that he was perfectly set on following me.

Are you sure you want me to stop you? 'Cause, you know, I can.

He laughed. "Shut up! I will!" I yelled at him.

"Excuse me?" Esme asked from the kitchen doorway.

"He doesn't think I can stop him," I explained to her.

"Bella, I don't think _you_ should go." Edward reached out a hand to stroke my face. It wasn't patronizing at all. Not at all...

"Why not? I can see what he wants, and if he turns dangerous, I can stop him." I shrugged my shoulders and took a subtle step toward the back door.

"And what if he distracts you somehow? You can't go alone." Edward raised his eyebrows and moved a step closer to me.

"I agree with both of you," Carlisle said slowly. "Bella can stop him if he's dangerous, and Edward can see what he wants. That way you'll both be tuned to some way of stopping him."

My eyes met Edward's. Are you fine with that?

_Yeah, I just wish there was a way to leave you out of this... _I rolled my eyes, and said, "Okay, see you guys in a bit." I turned to sprint out the door when Emmett's thoughts caught my attention.

_Yell if a fight is about to break out. I'll hear, and be there in, like, two minutes. _

_"_Okay, Emmett. Will do." Edward and I left while Rosalie looked questioningly at Emmett.

We ran hand-in-hand toward the visitor. The trees stirred restlessly, and the wind was mysteriously absent. There wasn't a soul out, not even ants. How odd. I remembered a day, when I was still human, and Robin and I were in a state park somewhere in California.

_[Flashback]_

The giant trees towered gracefully above us. Waves were crashing distantly, and birds were chirping happily. Robin was acting strange, leading me hurriedly through the tangles of flora around us. We had strayed off the dirt path a few miles back, heading west. I was walking casually, but I sensed an urgency emanating from Robin's stiff posture.

"Where are we going?" I asked for the millionth time.

"You'll see," was his vague answer.

All of a sudden the birds stopped singing, and the gentle wind died completely. There was a static in the air that made my hair stand on end. The sound of crashing waves was the only thing I could hear. Surely this wasn't normal. "Robin--"

"Shh!" He quieted me brusquely. I shut up immediately, and focused on the horizon. Occasionally I could see a splash of blue, and then they started to increase in frequency. We were heading to the beach. It was almost empty, the strange weather making the waves look ice blue one minute, and dark grey the next. The clouds were dark and covered the weak sunlight easily.

By almost empty, I meant that there was only one other person there besides us. The person was wearing a dark grey-black cloak, and standing with their back to us, facing the insistent waves. The clattering rocks beneath Robin's and my feet gave our presence away to the cloaked figure, and she turned around.

I knew immediately that it was a girl, even though the dark cowl covered the top-half of her face. Her mouth was delicate and lips full. Her nose was straight and thin. She smiled when she saw us, a very feminine smile, and showed off ultra-white teeth. She removed her hood to show off her boyish haircut and wide, doe eyes. Except her eyes would never befit a doe. Her eyes were a bloody red, standing out against her pale skin and the grey waves behind her.

"Robin!" she said, her voice a high tinkling of bells. She looked so happy to see him, and my first thought was: They'd make a cute couple. "It has been too long, brother."

"Aye, sister." He looked so pleased to see her. "Why did you need to see me, Jane?"

"It seems that someone"--pointed glance at me--"has seen us." Okay, that made no sense. Yeah, I've seen you, you're standing right in front of me. _He_ brought me here.

"She fell! She might not even remember how she was saved," Robin defended me.

"We cannot count on that!" Jane hissed, her red eyes going flat.

"Don't, sister! There are other ways!" Robin pleaded.

"Which ways are more proficient than mine?" She turned innocently to face me. "You. Do you remember when you were in Italy?" I nodded, confused. "Do you remember falling?" I nodded again. Where was she going with this? "What happened?"

"I saw a sparkle below me. I was focused on it, and then I fell off balcony. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was on the ground, and Robin was near me." I shrugged. "That's all."

She glared at Robin. Then her gaze returned to me. "Good. Now, think of it again." I did, and was assaulted with a burning sensation that spread throughout my body. I crumpled to the ground. All I could think about was the pain. And then it stopped. "Think about it again." I did, but it had less clarity...all I could remember was the sparkle, the falling, the safe landing, and Robin...The pain started again. I gasped. It was longer lasting this time. I could feel Robin's cold hands on my arms. Then it stopped. I sighed in relief. "Again. Think of it again." I winced, but complied. Now all I could see was the sparkle...the burning filled my every being.

"What do you remember now, dear?" Jane asked in a silky voice. I shook my head, clutching my sides while sitting in the fetal position on the rocks. "Come on, you must remember something."

"No," I said with a hoarse voice. "I can't remember anything." She laughed a cold, hard laugh.

"Good. Now, you may go." She smiled once at Robin, and then bent to pat me on the head. I felt my spine arch in response, and a shriek build in my throat. But I managed to hold it back. I heard her laugh once before fading into unconsciousness.

_[End Flashback]_

I gasped. "Edward! Stop!" I half whispered, half screamed. He immediately obeyed, obviously confused.

_What's wrong? _he asked in his mind.

It's-- but before I could mentally answer him, Robin stepped into the semi-open clearing we just happened to have stopped at. His presence halted every thought, every muscle in my body. His eyes held mine in a fierce glare. They were maroon. I heard his voice through hallow ears.

"Where's the party?" He smirked.

The shock of his eyes soon wore off, and I shot a mental probe behind him. Someone was there...A low chuckle, hard and cold as ice, wafted through the boughs of the tree she was in.

"Edward," I whispered, "It's her." It's Jane. The smile slipped from Robin's face. A feral growl escaped his lips.

* * *

**A/N: I know it's a cliffy, but I'm already writing the next chapter. Sorry it took so long, I was just trying to think of what to do. **

**Please, please, please, can you all do me a favor? There's a really good story called What Happens In Vegas that is, I repeat, REALLY GOOD. Please check it out, and leave a review! Thanks!**


	10. Fight or Flight

****Disclaimer** I don't own anything. At all. **

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Chapter 10

Fight or Flight

_Previously...._

_"Edward," I whispered, "It's her." It's Jane. Robin's smile slid off his face. A feral growl escaped his lips._

*******

Robin dropped to a crouch. _How do you know she's here? _Robin asked.

"I remember the last time we met. She brings doom with her, and wears it like a-- like a cloak." I grinned, remembering her dark cloak. "Do you really think you can surprise me, Robin? I know you too well."

"Drop dead," he hissed, and sprung. An oak's root snagged his ankle before he could get more than five feet off the ground. It threw him to the ground, and he was immediately covered from the neck down in dirt. "Let me out, you hag! I'll kill you, bitch!"

Edward growled protectively. "He's not going anywhere," I assured him. It's Jane we have to worry about, I added, for his ears only.

He nodded, and started to search the surrounding area. This sounds kind of weird, but I asked the trees for her whereabouts. And they answered. Their boughs started swaying southward and slightly to the east. "Thank you," I whispered sincerely. I tugged Edward's arm, to silently tell him to follow me.

We stalked in the way the trees told us. At the same time, we heard her thoughts.

_What's taking that fool so long to send me the signal? _were her angry thoughts. She obviously hasn't heard us yet. _What was that? _she thought. Oops. Spoke too soon. I signaled Edward to go right, and I'll go right. We split up and circled her tree. She was half-way up the old spruce, closer to Edward than me.

_Bella..._Edward said in his mind. Yeah? _I'm going to distract her, and while her attention's on me, you go in for the attack. _A thought struck me.

Hey, Edward...if you don't mind, could you try to call out Emmett's name? He wanted me to scream or yell or something if there was going to be a fight, and well...he could always take care of Robin.

_Sure thing, babe. _I could almost hear him wink. And then the air was filled with Edward's velvety voice. "Emmett! Emmett! Emmett Cullen, come here!"

The decoy worked perfectly. Jane turned away from me, toward Edward, and she was almost going to pounce--

I threw myself at her, knocking us both away from the tree. "Gotcha!" I said in her ear before we hit the ground. I immediately backed away. She was livid. _That bastard! He gave away my position! _She hissed at me.

"You can go, Jane. You don't have to fight me," I said, not really caring if she stayed, or fled. "Robin's still alive, however fleetingly. You can kick his ass yourself, if you want. I don't necessarily have to kill you. No one would like that." I smiled reassuringly at her.

She straightened up out of her aggressive stance. "So, Bella, we meet again. I've heard so much about you. Is it true about your powers?" She asked with forced nonchalance. I smiled inwardly. I made the wind gust into a whirlwind around her, swirling her cloak around her tiny body.

"Pick a color, any color," I said teasingly. But she acquiesced. _Pink. _"I wouldn't have made you out as a pink kind of woman, Jane. I thought you were more of a black. Or a grey." I winked at her shocked expression.

"So it's true...Robin wasn't exaggerating..." I rolled my eyes at her.

"He has been known to do that, hasn't he?" I asked sarcastically.

"Aro's going to love you, Bella," she purred.

I stiffened. "You'll have to tell him I'm sorry, and that it would be a great honor, but I can't. My family is here, in Forks. I can't leave them. I _won't_ leave them."

Her face fell in a very convincing way. But I could see right through it. She was secretly pleased I wasn't coming. "That's too bad, Bella. Because I was sent to make sure you came back to Italy." Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"I believe you're the one at a disadvantage here, then." I raised an eyebrow and lifted my hand, curling my pointer finger back to me. Bring it.

She calmly smiled at me. I felt the jarringly familiar burning erupt in my head at first, and then felt it spread down throughout my body. I struggled to push through the haze of pain, and was elated when I did. I brought the earth around her feet up around her slim form. "Edward!" I yelled urgently.

He sprung agilely out of the trees and landed next to Jane. He lowered his head to her neck, and it looked like he was caressing her with his lips. And then her head popped off, and the pain stopped. He started ripping her to shreds, and I relaxed the dirt's hold on her body. I left him stacking her pieces in a pile, racing back to where Robin was buried from the neck down.

On my way to my destination, I heard Emmett rushing in the direction I had just been. "Hey! Em! Over here!" I stopped to wave my arms above my head. He changed course, and I ran beside him to Robin.

Robin was brimming with anger. "Would you like to do the honors?" I asked Emmett serenely.

"You whore!" Robin screamed at me. When he saw Emmett's burly form coming at him, he started cussing him out. "Stay the fuck away from me! Damn you, Emmett! You fat bastard!"

"You know, Rob, I never liked you. And, well, now you're going to be gone." Emmett said, bending down to grasp Robin's head between his muscular arms. Robin just continued to swear. "You know, Bells," Em said casually, "you should have buried him up-side down." I laughed. He pulled. Robin's head popped off, and I made the ground spit him back up.

After Emmett had finished pulling apart my old friend, we divided up the parts, and carried them back to Edward, dumping them in his pile of Jane. Edward looked grimly at me. "Would you?" he asked. I nodded.

I extended a finger and a flame burst to life. I touched it to a clump of dried grass that Edward had put on the pile. The flames playfully jumped from grass blade to vampire piece, quickly consuming the entire pile in its dance. The putrid smoke spiraled thickly upward. I walked slowly to Edward's side. He wrapped both his arms around my waist, holding me tight to his chest.

"I love you," I told him confidently. His gold eyes sparkled, and he smiled warmly.

"I've always loved you, Bella," he replied. My dormant heart gave a strong thump. Or, at least, I thought it did. "And I always will." He bent his head to mine, and his lips pressed softly to mine.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, deepening our kiss. We would be together forever.

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**A/N: Okay, so there's probably only going to be one more chapter, and that will be like an epilogue. I hope you liked the story, even if it only turns out to be 11 chapters long. ;) And sorry this chapter was so short...it felt longer than it is....**


	11. Epilogue

****Disclaimer** I don't own anything. At all. Sigh...**

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Epilogue

I ducked out of the way of the flying piece of cake. This day is truly marvelous, and I will never forget, no matter how long I live...or, not-live, whichever. The day when I bind my soul with Edward's. Our wedding day.

Alice was a wonderful planner, even on such short notice. Edward and I just didn't want to wait. We gave her one month, and got everything I've ever consciously or subconsciously dreamed of. I absolutely loved the way she decorated the big white mansion, and the dress is beautiful.

The dress was a strapless, floor-length gown, with an a-line silhouette and empire waist. It was ivory, silk material, with intricate beading and classic embroidery. It was absolutely perfect.

The color scheme was different shades of reds and gold. The occasional silver object accented the room and my dress perfectly. Alice made my hair flow down my back in gentle waves in a way that was both classy and natural. Look at me, going on about my dress. The bridesmaids' dresses were beautiful, too.

They were raspberry, with a halter/sweetheart neckline. The chiffon flowed effortlessly to the floor, and looked beautiful on Rose-- who always looks stunning, Alice-- who had to have it specially fitted for her small form, and Sofia-- who pulled it off magnificently.

The ceremony was fast; I wanted it to last longer. And then I didn't. I wanted to belong to Edward, and Edward to me. I wanted to be with him forever. But the look of awe on his face never completely left, and it made me wish that I could blush again. My only thoughts were: _I love you, I love you, I love you. _And our thoughts matched today.

His love and joy emanated from him in tangible waves. Making him happy was enough to make me forget everything that's happened to me since becoming a vampire, a neophyte in a new world.

I can still hear his voice in my head..."I do." Two simple words that sent a thrill through me, well, it shows that even the littlest thing said can make the most difference. And when it was time for me to reply, the pure happiness in his eyes almost made me miss my cue.

After Emmett--who was also the "preacher"--announced us husband and wife, we kissed passionately...just the memory of the kiss sent shivers down my spine. Shivers of desire. We had run out of the living room to applause and screaming people. The reception was in the big back yard, and a tent was set up in case it rained.

And now, you may ask why I'm dodging cake. Why? Well, because Edward and I started a food fight. Its not like we could eat any of it, we had to do _something_ with it. Edward threw his piece of cake at me, and it landed with a splat on the front of my gorgeous dress. Alice looked murderously angry. So I reassured her, and then shoved my cake in his hair. The tent filled with tension, and it ended up being Sofia to break it. She laughed so hard that she doubled over in hysterics, spilling her plate of cake on Emmett's shoes. And so started The Food Fight.

Well, I'd be surprised if anyone's outfit was saved. I, as the bride, was covered from head to toe in cake and frosting. Edward looked similarly disshevled, which made him look adorable. We were hiding behind an overturned table at the moment.

Emmett hopped over the table barrier and dumped a plate of brownies on us. "You two haven't been hit in a while," he explained cheerfully. I'll hold him, you "hit" him.

_Will do, Mrs. Cullen. _Edward winked at me. 1, 2, 3, now!

I sprang and tackled Emmett while his back was turned. I turned him over so Edward could have a go at his face. I turned toward Edward to see what was taking him so long to grab something and shove it in Emmett's face. Crap.

Edward was standing over us, holding the ginormous punch bowl, with a wicked glint in his eyes. "No!" I squealed, but it was too late: Edward had dumped the sticky red juice on the both of us. I rolled off of Emmett to circle predatorially around my husband. Ah...that sounds nice. My husband.

He was smiling widely, turning with me so that he was always facing me. Realizing that there would be no opening, I dove for his face, catching it between my messy fingers. I wrapped my drenched legs around his waist and brought my face to his. He wrapped his arms around me and his lips hungrily met mine. It was amazing kissing him, knowing that he was mine, forever. And ever. I smiled and bit his lip. He laughed and then fell over on top of me. I looked over his shoulder to see why he fell on me.

Emmett was laughing hysterically. He shut up when a direct hit from Rose hit him in the face. I chuckled and turned my attention back to the love of my existence that was still laying on top of me. "Have I told you how beautiful you are, Bella?" he asked, his redolent breath blowing across my face.

"Yes," I said with a smirk. He grinned.

"Then, have I told you I love you?" His golden eyes looked into mine deeply, as if looking for something.

"Not recently," I teased. "Have I?"

"No," he brought his lips to mine in a tender kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, Edward. For ever." We were about to kiss when Alice cleared her throat above us.

"Bella? Do you mind cleaning up everybody?" she asked, looking at me meaningfully.

"Sure, Alice." I closed my eyes in concentration. I asked the clouds to give up their supply of water. They obliged. Thunder roared, and rain plummetted from the sky. People screamed and ran for cover under the tent. Edward got off of me and helped me up. Then, he led me out from under the tent. The rain fell lightly on my shoulders and head, and darkened Edward's bronze hair. He motioned to the band, who had been hiding behind the makeshift stage during the fight, started playing Natural Disaster by the Plain White T's. We started dancing to the upbeat music, and the rain just made it that much more fun.

The food washed off our faces, unfortunately staining my white dress pink from the punch. Little kids joined us, much to the displeasure of their parents. The sun came out to join in the fun, and a huge rainbow appeared. Everyone got their cameras to take a picture. One camera might have caught a peek at Edward and I, doing not so public-friendly things.

Sofi caught the bouquet when I threw it, which was a good thing. I don't like thinking of her alone. Apparently, neither did the boy named Adam, who I'd never seen before, but sensed was a truly good guy. For a human. Adam smiled at her when she slyly glanced his way. She blushed.

I felt no inclination to be thirsty at the sight of the blood flushing her cheeks. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it meant something was wrong. But, whatever it was, I knew I'd get through being a vampire with my new husband, love of my existence, Prince Charming, and every other name in the book for "perfect": Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.

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**A/N: And that is how I choose to end this story. I have another fanfic, Little Of Your Time, named for the amazing Maroon 5 song, that I am currently working on. I have pics of Bella's dress and the bridesmaids dress at the top of my profile (thankfully, you won't have to go all the way down to the bottom of my extremely long profile). I really hope you enjoyed Neophyte.**


	12. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

Sorry, I know this story is finished, but since it is still getting favorited, I figured I could use it as advertising for a story I have on a sister site of FanFiction, FictionPress. Here's the link: http://www(dot)fictionpress(dot)com/s/2694935/1/Monkey_See (you might have to copy and paste it into your browser) I'm also going to add the link to my profile (toward the top :) )

If you stay with that story, I'm warning you now: School is about to start, and I'm going to be even slower getting updates than usual.

Sorry if this freaks any body out--and I'm looking directly at the people who said, "Hey, I thought this story was finished." Yeah, sorry about that.

--Cassie

a.k.a. Musiclover101twilight411


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